Ukraine faced another night of deadly Russian strikes as Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city, was struck by drones and missiles, killing three people — among them a child — and injuring dozens more.
According to Kharkiv regional police, “three people are known to have died, including a small child. 18 people were wounded, including children.” Authorities fear more victims remain trapped under the rubble of a collapsed residential building.
Mayor Igor Terekhov reported that a ballistic missile had earlier hit the city, injuring at least 11 people before the drones arrived.
In Sumy, two civilians, including a 57-year-old woman, were injured in twin strikes — a bomb followed by a drone — regional administrator Oleg Grygorov confirmed.
The escalation occurs just as President Volodymyr Zelensky departs for Washington to meet U.S. and European leaders for crucial discussions.
His arrival comes amid renewed debate in Washington, where President Donald Trump stated that Kyiv’s NATO accession and reclaiming Crimea are “not on the table.”
Zelensky has dismissed proposals requiring Ukraine to surrender land, stressing that Russia already occupies 20% of the nation. Russian negotiators have floated the idea of Kyiv abandoning Donbas in exchange for halting fighting around Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.